Intrusive Thoughts: A Mental Battle

What are intrusive thoughts and how can we manage them

2 min read

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and sudden thoughts that can pop into our heads at any time without prior notice. They are uncontrollable, and they can be very uncomfortable or frightening. These thoughts can be in the form of images, statements, or sounds.

These unwanted thoughts are often associated with mental health disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Types of intrusive thoughts

1. Intrusive thoughts about violence

Intrusive thoughts about being aggressive and violent are very common. They include:

  • Doing illegal things
  • Harming children
  • Injuring or murdering another person
  • Imagining a loved one dead

2. Sudden flashbacks to traumatic events

Reliving aspects of a past traumatic incident are often triggered by your environment. The trigger can be a person, a sound, or even a smell. These flashbacks fall into the category of intrusive PTSD symptoms.

3. Intrusive sexual thoughts

People can have unwanted thoughts related to sex and sexuality. These thoughts may include fears such as:

  • Fear of being sexually attracted to family members.
  • Fear of becoming a pedophile.
  • Fear of becoming a rapist.
  • Fear of being sexually attracted to corpses.
  • Fear of being sexually attracted to animals.

4. Intrusive thoughts about religion

  • Fear of engaging in unethical activity.
  • Fear of not having enough faith.
  • Fear of not following the rules of one’s religion.
  • Fear of the afterlife.
  • Fear of going to Hell.



How to manage intrusive thoughts

The best way to manage disturbing thoughts is to accept them and not fight them, and always remind yourself that they are just thoughts with no specific meaning. Don't dwell on them or judge yourself based on them.

If your intrusive thoughts are starting to disrupt your peace and your daily life, or if they are part of a mental health diagnosis, you should contact a mental health professional for treatment to reduce the anguish caused by these thoughts.